Living
by ltifal
Summary: It's time to live, Robin.


**Authoress note: it's been quite some time huh? Anyway… enjoy**

**Warning: grammar and vocabularies error might occurred **

**Disclaimer: none of the characters were mine, they are all copy right. **

_Living_

They were all partying into the night; the celebration of her return, the tough fight with world government and of course, the finishing process of the new ship. Straw hat pirate needed no excuse to throw any party anyway. A huge amount of mizu mizu meat had been flowing right and left from Sanji's grill into the night with no sign of stopping soon. Robin had been walking away from the center of the party after she encountered Aokiji earlier. She had just realized, the admiral always shadowed her since she was a kid. He could easily kill her if he needed to but had decided to let her go several times. Even now, was he testing her? To prove what faith did Saul got on her? She pondered once again, not realizing that one shadow had stepped behind her.

"Resting?" Robin let out a small gasp in surprise; the stealth he got was impressive as usual. She hadn't count of how many times he had move behind her undetected. She was thankful that the boy was one of the straw hats, her 'nakama'; the real nakama after the event that she had shamefully admitted was caused by her.

"Yes, you too?" She said trying to be casual of it. She had talked to him earlier, more than she ever did with someone else. It could be because he was more serious than other or because he had this mature aura around him.

"Trying to avoid loud noise." He said as he moved beside her and sat, crossed legged and swiftly moved his sake bottle to his mouth and glug down quietly. She chuckled lightly. So like him. "So?"

"Um, so?" She asked unsure of what to say or whatever he mean by his question.

"Tsk, Aokiji had let you go, right?" The black hair woman widened her eyes slightly in surprise.

"Sasuga na… (as expected), you noticed." The green hair boy just 'hn-ed', once again gulped his alcohol.

"Yes…"

"You don't seem happy." He pointed out; one of his brows was raised questioning.

"I need time to process it properly."

"Hn, Robin finally decide to learn how to fly?" She smiled at the phrases.

"People always snipped my wings."

"Ah… had it healed now?"

"…" She paused. "Barely."

"Time helped." He murmured then grinned. "So do sake." He offered the bottle to her. She looked at him, then giggled. She gladly took the bottle from his hand then sipped. Huh? The sake was surprisingly sweet and light. She knew Zoro usually drank a cheaper stuff with higher alcohol content or straight out beer. She was eyeing him weirdly.

"What?"

"You drink sweet sake?"

"Yeah?" He didn't know if he should take offence on that, him being sophisticated was not that weird, right? Hmmm, on second thought… he smirked; Sanji would be gagging in disgust if he acted classy. He chuckled lightly, moving to take the bottle back then stood.

"Going somewhere?" Robin noticed when he walked not toward the commotion of party that was still on the high note.

"Going for a walk."

"Can I go with you?"

"Huh? Sure…" He paused then glared. "I'm not going to be lost." A giggle followed, Robin hadn't said anything and she didn't mean to but Zoro always take offence of that. His sense of direction was always being made fun of after all.

"Yes, I know." She smiled knowingly and walked beside him as he tsk-ed once again. They moved out from the Galley La premises and walked around the city in comfortable paces. Zoro still carried his sake bottle around and sipping once in a while, he even offered it to Robin which she sometimes took but most of the time, she declined politely. The green hair boy finally stopped on the place where he previously went, the one that he had detoured while trying to locate Galley La this afternoon, minutes after learning that Garp's marine ship had arrived at Water Seven. He finally shrugged, actually he was planning to go to the shipyard but grassy little hill near the ocean would do. He sat on the thick grassy area and made himself comfortable.

Robin however had walked further to the edge of it, she could feel the ocean wave each time it crushed the tip of this small hill. Breaking and sprinkling water all around.

"Oi, don't go near that thing." She heard him saying casually, she appreciated it though what harmed could it be anyway? She glanced at him smiling lightly before looking back at the ocean. He let out a yawn, he could relax around her; unlike Nami, the older woman could protect herself just fine. Although that woman still needed to be cautious, the ocean practically her biggest grim ripper… he might had to watch her anyway. It was minutes pass without anyone saying anything; the silent was not eerie or uncomfortable however.

"Zoro." Robin said quietly, the man raised one of his eyes lightly then grunted. So Robin had finally stuck to calling him his name finally. It couldn't help but smirked at that in satisfaction. "…Had you ever feel so lost?" The boy irked a little since she was talking about being lost. He knew she was not asking about 'lost' literally. He gave it a thought before he glanced back.

"Yeah, of course."

"…" The devil fruit user didn't say anything at all as she kept on looking a far toward the wave. She one tough woman; had been doing anything for her survival alone for 20 years, manipulating if she had or killing if she must. She had been on the run since forever. Now suddenly a group of pirates, younger than her, offered their hands to help her. She couldn't and wouldn't want to trust them but they had found a tiny hole to hook on her darkened cold heart. They had found one sliver of hope that had been hiding inside her heart all this years and it had grown rapidly in short period of time unnoticed. It was funny that several days ago she really wanted to just die and suddenly today she had home for the first time in her life. Safe for the first time, no checking her back every time she go to sleep and it felt surprisingly weird…

"I lost a friend, you see?" The boy began as he unconsciously moved his hand to the white hilt of his swords. Gripping lightly before un-hooking his most price katana. "This is Wadou Ichimonji."

Robin turned around, her eyes widen slightly. She knew Zoro never once talked about his past. Even his encountered with Luffy was largely unknown to the crew. She had learned (by habit, just in case she need to make a run from straw hat pirates) how the other join into the crew from Usopp's tale or Nami's chat prior to Nami. Sometimes she even asked about their past directly with an excuse of learning history. She knew pieces and bits about Luffy since the boy couldn't sit still more than a minute or two, but she never could have any history from the swordsman. The dark hair woman moved back and sat quietly beside him.

"This sword belongs to my rival. I had never beaten her even once." He said; his eyes looked out toward the sea. "She died. Accident." He continued, his hand gripped the sword even tighter. "I thought everything was over back then, until her sword was finally entrusted to me." He closed his eyes slightly before opened it again. He moved his sword, hesitating for a moment before he offered Wadou to her. Robin looked at it slightly, to offer his white sword indicated that she had gained all of his trust. Zoro's unique way of showing thing without saying a word…

For her, receiving that trust only mean she had accepted her fate being the crew member of straw hat pirate, a full fledge one. It also signified that she was welcome to be vulnerable and to ask for help if she needed too. The things that she rarely and avoided for all her life. '_Does she ready for that?_' She had thought many possibilities of how she would die or how she would end her life, but never how she would live.

Her hand moved toward the white sageo (the cord of the scabbard), trailing her hand onto the smooth saya (scarbbard) before gripping it lightly, her other hand moved near the tsuba (guard). Zoro finally released the sword as she tipped it upright and carefully holding it close to her body. She was surprise with the weight, she had believed the sword might weight heavier but it didn't, it was even more light weight. It somehow also radiated warmness, something that she never thought she got from a sword. "As if comforting…" She mumbled out unconsciously. A single drop of tear escaped her eyes but she didn't brother to erase it, looking motionless toward the sea.

Zoro inwardly frowned; it seemed he always caught her in vulnerable state every single time. He sighed; his right hand moved automatically toward her face, gently wiping away the trance of tears before awkwardly pat her head. She finally let out a giggle, still holding the sword to her chest lightly.

"I guess I always let my guard down around you, huh?"

"… I'm flattered?" He said unsure which made her chuckled once again.

"Zoro, thanks."

"Hn…"

"Maybe you can teach me how to enjoy live?" This time the boy let out a small laugh, which made his companion gazed at him in wonder.

"I can almost hear that ero-cook screaming about 'what did marimo know about living a life!'."

"Ah." A paused as she let out another giggle. "That's plausible."

"Oi." He yelled taking a little offended but a smirk came to his mouth. "Maybe you should take another hobby aside from your archeology work and reading."

"Hobby?" She paused lightly before murmuring slightly. "I guess… maybe gardening?"

"That's a start." Zoro grinned; he would lend his sword to her for some more time and lay down. He didn't mind sleeping under the stars like this although… he glanced at the girl. He still needed to take her back to Galley La (or Robin need to guide him back…) but for now; he didn't mind lying quietly beside her, waiting for the woman to sort her thought.

_One_

_Piece_

They had escaped barely from Luffy's grandfather and now were on their way toward Fish man Island, but first they needed to cross the said haunted Florian Triangle. Franky had given a tour on the new ship and most of the members had begun to explore by themselves. Sanji had been very thrill with his new kitchen, thanks to the cyborg for installing Luffy-proof lock on the refrigerator and the food storages. Chopper was delighted with his new examination room. Zoro had parked himself at his gym/crow nest immediately. Nami had taken herself into her and Robin new room and was trying to put all her and Robin's cloth into the closet before she began her drawing of Water Seven map. Luffy had rolling around on the top of Sunny head with Usopp who was trying to keep him from falling into the ocean. Robin had gone to new library and had just finished arranging the book before the door opened.

"Aw! Super isn't it, Nico-sis!" He said while posing his usual pose, grinning all along.

"Indeed." She said, she moved the last book to the cabinet.

"Right, now come with me, I had another feature just for you."

"Really?" She had thought the huge book shelf on the aquarium and inside girl quarter was more than enough. So what else could Franky had added just for her? The raven hair girl finally moved and walked outside, following the cyborg who was whistling lightly. They quickly moved out to the upper floor, the one which house Nami's orange tree. The big man finally moved toward the corner, there was a small square of something covered with white cloth then the blue hair man finally took the fabric, grinning before he removed that thing in his usual Franky way of showing his invention.

"OW! Super isn't it?" The woman however was blinking once then twice, she looked at him blankly.

"Is that?"

"Aw! Zoro bro said you like gardening, so this is installed mini garden just for you. The bottom is bolted to the ship so no matter how many time this ship fly or jerk around, this baby wouldn't budge!"

"I… see…" The conversation on the beach had come to her mind, she smiled lightly. How sweet of him to do something like this. She never thought the swordsman would remember something so insignificant like that. She had lost in her thought while Franky blabbing more about the feature on the square flower pot. He explained about the automatic closing system that protected the said garden from the huge hurricane or anything basically.

"It's just super soil for now since I don't know which flower you want to plant. So Nico –sis. How is it! Super, right!?" He kept talking on and on making his signature super pose once in a while.

"Thank you."

"OW! Right!" Just then the commotion on the Sunny head occurred. Luffy had just dropped from the said head though luckily Usopp had been able to catch his rubber's hand.

"LUFFY!" As soon as everyone heard the scream, most of the people inside the room peered out or poked out to see what going on. Most of them though had, either rolled their eyes or moved back to whatever they had been doing (a false alarm anyway) except Chopper who was panicky stormed outside from his new examination room and ran toward the head.

The reindeer had step into the newly sprinkle grass and slipped from it toward the railing. Thanks to Robin who had been able to catch him with her hana-hana mi, the small boy didn't just plunge into the ocean. Franky had gone toward the head to help with the captain. Chopper also began to yell about not to abuse the wound that hadn't been healed and began lecturing.

After making sure that the boys was safe and away from possible drowning, Robin finally moved toward the crow nest. She climbed up and knocked on the crow nest door.

"Come in, it's not locked." A voice from inside could be heard moment later and the woman finally pressed it up and walked into the new gym/crow nest. The swordsman had been looking out to the ocean while swinging his lightest weight (which still enormous for most people). "Oh, it's you Robin." He said glancing once before he was back to concentrate in swinging.

"Yes, Zoro-san, is me." She smiled lightly before made another walk toward the observation window then climbed onto the sofa. She sat kneeling (almost on seiza style when you are on tea ceremony/sado), her body weight shift slightly toward the front while looking at the vast ocean. Her hands crossed and placed on the window's sill. There were silent for a moment.

"Do you need something?"

"Not really."

"Hn."

"Thank you." She said, a smile had adorned her face but Zoro hadn't really able to see that since she had her back on him. The green hair boy paused from his swinging and looked at her in question.

"Thank you for what exactly?"

"Franky make me a garden." She continued, finally moving and sat casually on the sofa, this time facing the boy.

"Oh, that." He continued the swinging then grunted. "No need to thank…" He would have murmured it out but upon he saw a genuine smile he got from the woman, he coughed. Suddenly a little embarrassed for it, he blushed. He never saw her beaming like that, so happy, it was only a small gesture anyway. "Yeah… whatever." She giggled lightly before she finally walked to the door, with intention of going back to the library.

"Eh… wait."

"Yes?" She asked as she spun around to face him.

"Um…" Zoro hesitated for a while, scratching his head. He slowly moved the weight down and walked toward the girl. "Ahem…" He finally slipped his hand into his haramaki retrieving small packets from it. He paused for a while before offered it to her. "Here… I saw it at the town so..."

The older woman finally took the thing from him then read. She widened her eyes then let out another smile. "Thank you, I…"

"Yeah, no problem." He said awkwardly. He moved back to his weight and was about to take it but a sentence came from Robin froze him.

"I never thought that you consider me as adorable and lovely." She said.

"WHAT!" Zoro had sputtered in surprise. Sure, he did think of her like that sometimes, but it was for him and him only and not for everyone to know. How the hell she got that from anyway!? She smiled teasingly as she let out another giggle. Robin finally moved toward the door and climbed down leaving a dumb folded swordsman alone, wondering how the hell that woman could read his mind. The raven hair woman still chuckled lightly; for once she blushed like a small little girl, feeling giddy and flattered. On her hands were 3 packs of flower seeds. White camellia, coreopsis and gardenia flower seeds.

_Owari_

**Authoress note: as usual will be continue to other one shot if I had time to write anyway or had some idea **

**Flower Language**

**White Camellia - You're Adorable**

**Coreopsis - Always Cheerful**

**Gardenia - You're Lovely/Secret Love**


End file.
